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| Captain Curtis Hancock served in the 71st Recon Group in New Guinea. |
Curtis Olen Hancock never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
Curtis was born on January 23, 1920 in Texas. I could not definitively identify his family in the census records. His obituary mentions his mother Addie Hancock of Abilene, Texas but does not mention his father.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September 1940 and graduated from Advanced Flying School in May 1941 at Stockton Field, California. He served as a B-25 Mitchell bomber pilot in the 17th Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Reconnaissance Group of the 5th Air Force. The 71st flew anti-submarine patrols off the west coast in the months after Pearl Harbor, then moved to the Southwest Pacific in the fall of 1943. It flew reconnaissance missions over New Britain, New Guinea, and the Admiralty Islands from bases in New Guinea and Biak. It also flew combat missions against Japanese installations, airfields, and shipping, while supporting Allied ground forces on New Guinea and Biak. Additionally, the 71st flew courier missions, participated in rescue operations, and hauled passengers and cargo.
Curtis rose to the rank of captain in the 71st and is said to have completed over 50 missions. On 27 May 1944, the Army’s 41st Infantry Division landed on Biak Island, near the western end of New Guinea, as part of General Douglas MacArthur's offensive to clear New Guinea in preparation for an invasion of the Philippines. The next day, Cpt. Hancock and his crew were tasked to drop maps to American troops on the beachhead at Biak. Hancock and his copilot cleared their approach with the air controller at Biak, who told the American anti-aircraft gunners that the B-25 would be coming in. As the aircraft approached the beach, Cpt. Hancock opened the bomb bay to drop the maps. Tragically, the aircraft was fired on by friendly anti-aircraft batteries and was shot down, killing all crew members aboard. Cpt. Hancock left behind a wife and 16-month old son.
Curtis Olen Hancock was initially buried on Biak and was later reinterred in Resthaven Memorial Park in Lubbock, Texas. I could not find any information on his widow or son.
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This profile was written by Bob Fuerst. "I’m a NASA engineer, B-17 Flying Fortress enthusiast, and amateur genealogist so this kind of research is an ideal outlet for me. But more than anything, it’s a way to express my sincere appreciation for The Greatest Generation and the sacrifices that they made, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They should never be forgotten and I’m grateful to Don for allowing me to play a small part in honoring them."
On September 5, 2021 a comment was posted to this blog with the following:
Curtis was my grandfather. Thank you for this write up. His father was Alvis Hancock and his mother was Addie Hext. He had 1 child, a daughter Nancy. She is the mother of 3 son and 2 daughters.
Last year on this date I profiled Jesse Booker of the 2nd Marine Division. You can read about Jesse here.
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Curtis was my grandfather. Thank you for this write up. His father was Alvis Hancock and his mother was Addie Hext. He had 1 child, a daughter Nancy. She is the mother of 3 son and 2 daughters.
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